Hundreds of news outlets around the world have united to sign an appeal demanding protection for journalists in Palestine. This Sept. 1 appeal demands action from the international community and the United Nations Security Council. In less than two years since the war’s beginning, more than 220 journalists have been brutally murdered by the Israeli army. Organized by Reporters Without Borders and Avaaz, the appeal demands three things: the safety of Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip, access for foreign press and for international governments to host Palestinian journalists seeking evacuation from Gaza.
According to NPR — one of the media outlets that signed the appeal — Brown University found “Israeli attacks in Gaza since the war began in October 2023 have killed more journalists there than the U.S. Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, the wars in Yugoslavia in the 1990s and 2000s, and the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan, combined.” This is now the deadliest recorded period for journalists. It is long overdue for journalists in Palestine to be protected, and this appeal is a step in the right direction.
Journalism is crucial for keeping people informed, safe and aware. Regardless of bias, nothing justifies violence toward people who seek to report the truth, yet there have been attempts. In several occurrences, the Israeli military has accused journalists of affiliations with Hamas and other militant groups to excuse these killings. After five journalists and others were killed on Aug. 25, Israeli Government Spokesman David Mencer said in a briefing, “ Of course, journalism is a noble profession, but many journalists who have reported from Gaza, so-called journalists, are simply terrorists with a press vest on.”
Regardless of how the Israeli government attempts to twist the narrative, there is no question that there is genocide in Gaza. The sickening methods used to silence the press from reporting horrors that occur in plain sight are not going unnoticed, and media outlets are fighting back.
Press freedom is in deep peril, as are journalists in Gaza. Journalists have the responsibility to report the truth, and if they are being silenced, one can only wonder what is being hidden from the public. Everyone has a right to information — especially regarding a genocide. These journalists deserve to practice their craft and live. This appeal is asking the international community to open its eyes and take part in the fight for their protection.
